The present invention relates to refuse receptacle lifts for use with a refuse collection load box or a refuse gathering vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a low or slim profile self-adapting apparatus, i.e., that is capable of lifting refuse receptacles of varying sizes and shapes using a self-adapting clamp arm and then dumping the contents of the refuse receptacle into a load box or other refuse container.
Receptacles for the receipt, temporary storage, and/or transport of refuse are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. While the traditional, round metal garbage can is still utilized, many have been replaced with generally larger and lighter receptacles constructed from various plastics and other synthetic materials. Features may include for example hinged covers, locking covers, wheels, and handles in various locations and configurations. Capacities may range for example from 30 gallons to 95 gallons.
Typically, on the day of collection, the receptacle is placed near curb-side for pick-up involving a gathering vehicle. The refuse collected in such conventional receptacles from residences and businesses must be then transported usually by a commercial or municipal service to a treatment or disposal site. Generally, a refuse gathering vehicle equipped with a compactor is used to transport the contents of the receptacle from curb side to such a later site. Consequently, the receptacle""s contents must be conveyed to a designated compartment on the gathering vehicle. Current conventional containers can weigh as much as 200 pounds when loaded. Various receptacle dumping mechanisms exist for delivering a receptacle""s contents into the compartment of a gathering vehicle. For example, dumping mechanisms that include a movable carriage configured to receive a receptacle and dump its contents into a gathering vehicle are described in Brown et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,277), Shive (U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,642), and Wyman et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,751). The disclosures of such patents are incorporated herein by reference.
While such types of lift devices and associated receptacles generally permit mechanized dumping (as opposed to manual), various drawbacks and inefficiencies persist. For example, some of such prior art receptacle dumping mechanisms typically may tend to dump the contents of the receptacle only near the very back of the refuse-receiving opening of the garbage truck. A typical garbage truck has a large opening located at its rear to provide access to a relatively large trash container carried on the truck. A dumping apparatus as discussed above is usually mounted adjacent such opening, such as at or on a rear bumper of a truck. A built-in trash compactor is also typically present in the container for compacting refuse therein. If the contents of the receptacle are dumped only at the very back of such refuse-receiving opening (as is often the case), a compaction cycle (i.e. operation of the built-in compactor of the garbage truck) must be run after almost each successive receptacle dumping so as to push the dumped contents forward, i.e. away from the very rear of the garbage truck, to make room for the next dumping. Having to frequently repeat compacting cycles is very time consuming, since a garbage truck normally would include a great number of stops at relatively short intervals on its route, and also adds to wear and tear on the compactor equipment.
Another drawback of some of such prior art mechanized dumping devices is the sheer size of the unit itself. Many prior art dumping devices have a width (i.e. projection from the rear bumper of the garbage truck) in a range of about 16 to 20 inches, not including the trash receptacle mounted for dumping. A safety hazard is thus presented by structure which projects substantially from the rear of the vehicle, particularly since it cannot be seen by the driver of the truck.
Also, as an additional practical matter, garbage trucks outfitted with such prior art (relatively thick) dumping apparatuses for smaller residential trash receptacles cannot be simultaneously used for dumping larger commercial trash dumpsters. Such dumpsters are normally pivoted against pivot members mounted at the rear of the truck itself while being winched upward with a powered cable mounted at the top of the garbage truck. Such dual use of a garbage truck is normally not possible with the typical prior art residential receptacle dumping device because there is not sufficient clearance for the commercial dumpster to be pivoted on the truck-mounted pivot members around the prior art residential dumping devices due to their relatively thick width.
Additionally, some refuse-gathering vehicles have their refuse-receiving openings on the sides of the truck, rather than at their backs. Such side-loading vehicles typically cannot safely use such prior art dumping devices again because they generally extend too far from the side of the truck.
Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,812 discloses a receptacle lift and slim profile power unit addressing certain of the disadvantages of typical receptacle dumping apparatuses referenced above. The width of such a lift is substantially less than typical receptacle dumping apparatuses and includes a power drive unit that is also of reduced width. Such reduced profile allows such lift configuration to be used in conjunction with existing refuse gathering vehicles to overcome problems with the typical receptacle lifts above discussed. Such lift may also be used to dump receptacle contents a predetermined distance up into a refuse gathering vehicle so that the vehicle""s compactor unit does not require operation after each dumping cycle. It may also be installed on a gathering vehicle so as not to interfere with the lift mechanisms that may already be present on a gathering vehicle for dumping other types of containers such as larger bins typically not used for residential, curb-side pick-up. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,812 is incorporated herein by reference.
Due to the various unique geometries of the receptacles available and in use, typical prior art lifts may not be functional with all receptacle types currently encountered during a refuse pick-up. For example, the handles on various receptacles may be located at different heights, have different shapes, and be positioned at different orientations on a receptacle. The height, width, and overall volume of each receptacle may vary widely. Commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,308,211 and 5,333,984 disclose various receptacle types and certain lifter variations. The disclosures of all such patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The container may be structured for dumping by a correspondingly configured lift. Similarly, the lift in place on a particular gathering vehicle may only be configured to receive a receptacle meeting the particular specifications of that lift. While generally uniform receptacles on any given pick-up route could be used to ensure the functionality of the lift with all receptacles encountered by the gathering vehicle, such a requirement may not be practical. Even though existing prior art lifts may be modifiable for a given receptacle type, a lift capable of adapting automatically to a variety of container types without prior modification and while in use during a refuse pick-up route would provide additional benefits over existing apparatuses. Such a lift that also incorporates the features of U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,812, so as to overcome the limitations of the typical receptacle lift as above identified would be even more desirable.
The present invention provides an adaptable, refuse receptacle lift for use with a refuse collection load box or a refuse gathering vehicle. A unique self-adapting clamp arm is used to provide a lift that automatically self-adapts to the size and shape of a variety of receptacles while the lift is in use and without requiring prior modifications each time a different receptacle type is encountered. By incorporating features disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,812, the present invention also provides a lift that overcomes problems associated with typical receptacle lifts as above identified. By way of example, the present lift is of a reduced profile and is also capable of dumping a receptacle""s contents a predetermined distance up into a refuse gathering vehicle so that the vehicle""s compactor unit does not require operation after each dumping cycle.
In addition, the present invention relates to certain sequencing features, so that self-adapting clamp arm features are also operated for maximum clearance during non-use, for safer vehicle movement and operation.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in, or will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the detailed description herein. Also, it should be further appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated and discussed features or materials hereof may be practiced in various embodiments and uses of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, by virtue of present reference thereto. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, substitution of equivalent means and features or materials for those shown or discussed, and the functional or positional reversal of various parts, features or the like.
Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention, may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features or elements, or their equivalents (including combinations or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description).
While various power drive units and lifting apparatuses embodying different combinations of presently disclosed features may be constructed, applying the teachings disclosed herein, to arrive at various embodiments of the present invention, one exemplary lift apparatus of the present invention includes:
a support frame adapted to be mounted onto a container;
a hydraulic actuator, attached to the support frame, having a rotatable output shaft, and configured for controllably positioning the rotary orientation of such output shaft;
a carriage adapted for supporting a receptacle, such carriage being pivotally supported relative to the support frame;
a pair of idler arms for pivotally supporting such carriage relative to the support frame;
a pair of torque arms for pivotally supporting such carriage relative to the output shaft;
a clamp arm shaft attached to such carriage and rotatable relative to the carriage;
a pair of self-adapting clamp arms, each clamp arm having a receptacle receiving end and a non-receptacle receiving end, each clamp arm being pivotally connected near the non-receptacle receiving end to the rotatable clamp arm shaft, whereby the such clamp arms may be controllably rotated relative to the carriage, each clamp arm being configured to adapt to the size and shape of a variety of receptacles for lifting by the apparatus;
a first hydraulic drive attached to the carriage, having a reciprocating shaft pivotally connected to the rotatable clamp arm shaft, such first hydraulic drive controllably positioning the rotary orientation of the clamp arm shaft;
a second hydraulic drive pivotally connected to the non-receptacle receiving end of the pair of self-adapting clamp arms, whereby such clamp arms may be controllably opened and closed;
wherein the hydraulic actuator, the first hydraulic drive, and the second hydraulic drive are controllably operated, and in a desired, predetermined sequence, so as to cause controlled rotation of the self-adapting clamp arms between an upright stored position and a position for the receipt of a receptacle, causes controlled opening and closing of the self-adapting clamp arms for securing a receptacle; and causes controlled pivoting of the carriage on respective ends of the idler arms and torque arms, between a lowered, upright position of the carriage for receiving a receptacle and a relatively raised, inverted position of the carriage for emptying the contents of a receptacle.
Another exemplary embodiment of a receptacle lift apparatus in accordance with the present invention, includes:
a base adapted for mounting the lift onto a container;
a first power means, attached to such base, having a rotatable output shaft, such first power means controllably positioning the rotary orientation of such output shaft;
a carriage pivotally supported relative to the base;
dual paired projection arm means, pivotally associated with the base and the output shaft, respectively, for supporting and selectively positioning the carriage during the lifting and conveying of a receptacle, and configured so as to dump the contents of a receptacle received by the lift;
a positioning shaft, connected to the carriage and rotatable relative to the carriage;
an adaptable embracing means for receipt of a receptacle, pivotally connected to the positioning shaft such that the rotary orientation of the embracing means may be controlled by the positioning shaft, and adaptable to the size and shape of a receptacle to be lifted;
a support means, connected to the positioning shaft, for providing support to a receptacle received by the lift;
a second power means, attached to the carriage, and pivotally attached to the positioning shaft, whereby such second power means may control the rotary orientation of the positioning shaft;
a third power means, connected to the adaptable embracing means and controllably pivoting the embracing means about the positioning shaft such that a receptacle may be controllably embraced;
wherein selective operation of the first, second, and third power means causes in desired sequence controlled rotation of the adaptable embracing means, causes controllable embracing of a receptacle by the embracing means, and causes controlled movement of the carriage on the dual paired projection arm means relative to the base between a lowered position of the embracing means for receipt of a receptacle and a relatively raised, and inverted position for the emptying of any contents within the receptacle.
Still another example of a receptacle lift in accordance with the present invention, for lifting and dumping the contents of a receptacle into a container, includes:
a mainframe having a first side and a second side, such first side being adapted for attachment to the container;
a motor, attached to the second side of the mainframe, having a rotatable output shaft, and configured for controllably positioning the rotary orientation of such output shaft;
a plate pivotally connected to the second side of the mainframe;
a first pair of arms, pivotally connected to the second side of the mainframe and pivotally connected to the plate;
a second pair of arms, fixedly connected to the rotatable output shaft and pivotally connected to the plate;
a clamp arm shaft secured to the plate and rotatable relative to the plate;
a least one clamp arm, such clamp arm including an arcuate support member having a first end and a second end, such support member pivotally connected near the first end to the clamp arm shaft such that the rotary orientation of such clamp arm may be controlled by the clamp arm shaft, such clamp arm also including a band of flexible material connected near the first end and near the second end of the support member arm and spanning in between such ends, whereby upon contacting a receptacle, such clamp arm may adapt to the size and shape of the receptacle for securing the receptacle during lifting and dumping of the receptacle;
a first hydraulic cylinder attached to the plate and pivotally attached to the clamp arm shaft and configured such that the extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder controls the rotary orientation of the clamp arm shaft;
a second hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected near the first end of the clamp arm and configured such that the extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder controls the pivoting of the clamp arm about the clamp arm shaft, whereby such clamp arm may be pressed against the receptacle to secure the receptacle to the lift;
wherein selected operation of the motor, the first hydraulic cylinder, and the second hydraulic cylinder causes in sequence the clamp arm to move into a position so as to secure a receptacle to the lift; and causes the lift to move the receptacle between a relatively lowered position and a relatively upright and inverted position where the contents may be dumped into the container.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.